Good news: Touchscreens in cars are going away

It's official, buyers just hate them too much:

https://slate.com/business/2023/04/cars-buttons-touch-screens-vw-porsche-nissan-hyundai.html

I have been doing some flying with my brother lately. There is a touch screen navigation system in the airplane that also includes the communication radios. Talk about a son of a bitch, trying to change frequencies in moderate turbulence is hard to do. I prefer the knobs of older radios.

In reply to pilotbraden :

The brand on that touch screen start with a G?

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Yes. Everyone I fly with that has one extolls it's virtues can't say enough good about them. I'll sit in the right seat with my paper chart and use the number two radio,  which is usually the old stuff and have the approach set up while they're still messing around looking at the touch screen setting up waypoints and frequencies and not outside flying the airplane.

I'm always told that if i used it more often i would get used to it. 

The bad news is, a neuro-link will be required to operate it's replacement.

In reply to racerfink :

Do I have to take my eyes off of the road, refocus my eyes, and wait for a smooth section of road to operate it?

I forget if it is all of Ohio or only certain local PDs, but there are now laws in effect that it is illegal to operate a touchscreen while driving.  It is intended for phones, but the way it is written, touchscreens in cars also count.  And the way cell phone laws are enforced, picking up your phone to look at the time while at a red light counts as "operating a cell phone while driving", so...

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

This law is now state-wide.

That was my main gripe about our '13 Exploder. It was an otherwise phenomenal car.

I always enjoyed it when the one in my Fusion fleet car would just go all 'blue screen' and render the radio completely useless. Fun times.

I think the rejoicing is far too early.

After reading the linked article, the majority of statements indicating possible removal or elimination of touch screens are very general and name no manufacturer or model where this will happen. The one statement about Porsche adding buttons to one model does not say touchscreens were removed and the statements about VW indicates some executives have suggested adding more buttons to future models. Which is not a commitment and again does not state touchscreens will be eliminated. There is also no legal requirement to eliminate touchscreens and the article indicates they are cheaper for the automakers. 

Concluding the title of this thread from reading the linked article is a reading comprehension failure... 

Edit to make the most relevant points easier to find...

Hallelujah!

(Im ok with some premature rejoicing)

 I'm not opposed to touchscreens when implemented properly (i.e. blend of touch and buttons).
 

I like the infotainment system in the Sportage. I can change the volume and change the station with knobs or steering wheel controls. Phone calls can be answered with steering wheel buttons, make them with voice or the touch screen.  Nav is through the touch screen, but I typically set it up before leaving the driveway, so minimal interaction with the system using icons large enough to easily find and touch. 

Now if only I could find something aftermarket to go in my GC that didn't  require a giant floating touch screen to get a volume knob and car play. Everything that installs in the dash with car play is all touch screen, but at least retains the steering wheel controls. 
 

I don't know that they'll go away completely but they're currently overused.

They're great for navigation but why do I need it to regulate temp, open garage door, change radio stations. Moronic.

And if one feature on your touchscreen goes, you need to replace the entire unit.

BTW, if a failed touchscreen, or ANYTHING for that matter keeps you from passing smog (ie, sets a check light) it's covered by warranty for 10 years. It's the law.

In reply to pilotbraden :

I dunno, the beloved Garmin 400 series may not have a touch screen, but it also has the absolute worst user interface I've ever used.  Completely non-intuitive.  Turn a knob to move a cursor to select something, great.  Press the knob to confirm the selection?  Nope, that's "cancel" or "go back".  Almost as bad as the FMS in every airliner I've ever used where someone decided the right keyboard layout is alphabetical.

Touch screens are bad, but some of the even older stuff is actually worse.

No Time said:

 I'm not opposed to touchscreens when implemented properly (i.e. blend of touch and buttons).

I agree completely.  I love the touchscreen in my Grand Cherokee but if it didn't also have knobs and buttons for the radio, hvac etc I probably wouldn't have bought it, which is one of the reasons I didn't look to hard at the Audi Q8 (well that and they didn't have any in stock I could test drive aside from a 3 year old Q7).  The touchscreen allows so much customization of the vehicle settings and additional info that wouldn't be possible without a screen, or it would be very tedious to get to with a button/joystick interface.

Great news to hear. Can't stand how everyone is trying to make things look "futuristic" aka cheap and annoying.

In reply to Berck :

The fms in a Lear 31a that i flew was a universal system with the alphabetical key board is easier than the touchscreen in my opinion. I flew a Cessna 310 with a Garmin 400. I didn't like it. I recall the pilots handbook for the airplane was about 150 pages and the GPS manual was over 400 pages.  I never entered the flight plan in the GPS but just used it to go direct while having both VORs in use. Flying single pilot in and out of Chicago 3-4 times weekly i didn't have the time to waste playing with programming the GPS while flying and watching for other traffic.

I HATE touchscreens. Its even worse when they are stuck on top of the dash like a total after thought.  They are a major distraction even when you are not using them, particularly at night. The glow drives me nuts. Even worse when the display changes on its own to show ads!!!

Changes on its own to do what now?

I hate to sound like an out-of-touch Old Guy, but are you seriously telling me your car pumps advertising at you while you're trying to drive? When did this become a thing?

In reply to Stealthtercel :

I've seen Waze do that, but only when stopped. 

I just need an OFF button for the screen, and a knob each for temperature and fan speed.  Screens never dim enough at night.   The tactile feedback from knobs and switchgear is a lost art.  No matter how well a touchscreen and interface may be designed, it's going to look dated in 10 years.  

ddavidv said:

I always enjoyed it when the one in my Fusion fleet car would just go all 'blue screen' and render the radio completely useless. Fun times.

Don't you worry. My 2022 Raptor does the same thing. Ford hasn't missed a beat. 

I forget if it is all of Ohio or only certain local PDs, but there are now laws in effect that it is illegal to operate a touchscreen while driving.  It is intended for phones, but the way it is written, touchscreens in cars also count.  And the way cell phone laws are enforced, picking up your phone to look at the time while at a red light counts as "operating a cell phone while driving", so...

Man I love when politicians write vague laws that can totally be misconstrued by LEOs to write tickets purely for profiteering. 

oh thank God